Coating apparatus including masking means



Oct. 25, 1966 s. E. ROSENBERG 3,280,794

COATING APPARATUS INCLUDING MASKING MEANS Filed April 15. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5

IN V EN TOR.

STIG E. ROSEN BERG rvxm ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1966 s. E. ROSENBERG 3,280,794

COATING APPARATUS INCLUDING MASKING MEANS Filed April 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i -4 Fl 6. 3 INVENTOR. V

STIG E. ROSENBERG ATTO R N EYS United States Patent 3,280,794 COATING APPARATUS INCLUDING MASKING MEANS Stig E. Rosenberg, Brockton, Mass, assignor to International Latex Corporation, Dover, Del. Filed Apr. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 22,529 2 Claims. (Cl. 118-301) This invention relates to an apparatus for use in locally reinforcing articles of deposited latex such, for example, as girdles to which garters are to be attached. According to the invention, areas of extra thickness are formed where the garters are to be attached, each such area having a slight depression shaped to receive a stiif reinforcing member of mechanically strong material to be embedded in the material of the girdle by additional deposits of films of latex after the reinforcing members have been applied to the partly formed girdle.

The apparatus hereinafter described facilitates the application of coagulant to the form on which the girdle is to be produced by successive dips in a bath of latex in such a way that areas of extra thickness are formed in the desired places and with the desired contours.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the following description thereof, and to the drawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of apparatus for applying coagulant to specified areas of a form to be dipped in latex;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation, on a larger scale, of the end wall of one of the four spray boxes shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the same, movable parts thereof being in a different position;

FIGURE 4 is a section, on a still larger scale, on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of part of a form to be dipped, showing areas to which coagulant has been applied;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevation, on a larger scale, of a thickened area of deposited latex on a form;

FIGURE 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of a reinforced area of a completed girdle.

The apparatus for applying coagulant to a form has a frame including longitudinal members shown in plan in FIGURE 1 and supported by suitable uprights (not shown). A transverse bar 22 connects the longitudinal members 20 at their mid points. This transverse member is a support for a form 24 to which coagulant is tobe applied. A number of pins 26 are on the member 22 for the purpose of properly locating the form 24 in position to receive the coagulant on predetermined areas of its surface. Horizontally slidable on the longitudinal members 20 are two carriages 3t), 32, each of these car riages comprising a pair of tubular members slidable on the longitudinal members 20 and connected by transverse members which form rectangular frames. The carriage 30 has tubular members 34 connected by transverse members 36. The carriage 32 has tubular members 38 which are similarly connected by transverse members 40. Mounted on the transverse members 36 are two spray boxes or housings 42 and 44. Similarly mounted on the transverse members 40 of the other carriage are two boxes 46 and 48. All four of these boxes may be and preferably are identical in structure so that the description of one will serve for all. The boxes are preferably adjustable along the transverse members on which they are mounted so that they can be variably spaced accordingly to the de- 'ice sired location of the areas of the form 24 to which coagulant is to be applied. The spray boxes 42 and 44 on the carriage'30 are movable against one face of the form 24. For this purpose an operating lever 50 is pivoted at 52 to a bracket 54 on one of the longitudinal frame members 20. A pin 56 on a tongue 58 which is fixed to one of the transverse members 36 of the carriage 30 rides in a slot '60 in the lever 50 so that when the lever is swung upon its pivot, the carriage 30 with the spray boxes 42 and 44 thereon moves toward or from the form 24. A lever 62 is similarly connected to the carriage 32 to move it with the spray boxes 46 and 48 toward or from the other side of the form 24,

Each of the spray boxes has at the end remote from the form 24 a spraying device 64 which is capable of projecting a very fine mist toward the other end of the box at which is a wall or mask 66. The spray device 64 and the masking 66 are made to be easily detached from the elongated housing for facility in being cleaned. Each spray device receives coagulant solution under pressure through a suitable supply pipe 68. The spray is turned on and off by a magnetic valve electrically controlled by circuit wires 70, the control switches being conventional and not shown on the drawing. The masking wall 66 of any of the four spray boxes is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5. This wall has an opening of suitable size and shape to expose a portion of the surface area of the form 24 to spray projected from the spraying device 64 at the other end of the spray box. On the spraying device 64 at the other end of the spray box. On the rear face of the wall 66 is a rubber gasket 82 which surrounds the opening 80 and has a continuous rib 84 to be pressed against a face of the form 24 so as to limit the access of spray to the surface area surrounded by this rib when the wall 66 is moved against the form 24. Thus the operation of the spraying devices in the spray boxes 46 and 48 results in the application of coagulant to areas 85 as shown in FIGURE 6. As is evident from FIGURES 4 and 5 the area 85 defined by the rib 84 is larger than the area defined by the inner edge of the gasket 82, the latter area in turn being smaller than the opening 80. The upper and side margins of the opening 80 are screened by a shield 86 which has a bevelled edge 87 and is spaced forward from the wall 66. The bevelled edge tends to deflect marginal portions of the stream of fine spray in the box toward the center of the opening 80. Some of the spray, however, diffuses laterally after passing the inner edges of the gasket 82 with the result that there is a gradual tapering off of the amount of coagulant deposited on the areas defined by the rib 84 from a maximum in the central exposed portion to approximately none at the rib 84. As a result of this distribution of the coagulant, the latex deposited on the area 85 shown in FIGURE 6 tapers gradually in thickness from the maximum thickness of the central portion of the area to the edges of the area.

According to the invention, the amount of spray deposited on the central portion 0 fthe areas 85 per unit area is not uniform throughout that portion but is deposited in lesser degree upon a small area 88 in the shape of an oval annulus or band. To obtain this result, spray is projected toward the opening 80 in the two separaete steps. In one of these steps the opening 80 is unobstructed. In the other step a shield 90 of oval shape with a central slot 92 is supported in the opening 80 to prevent access of spray to the more limited area covered by the shield. The shield 90 may be conveniently supported by a slide 94 which projects upwardly from the wall 66 as indicated in FIGURE 4, the shield being connected to the slide by narrow elements 95. A convenient handle 96 is at the top of the slide 94 and a pair of leaf springs 98 bear against a face of the wall 66 to support the slide 94 and the shield 90 frictionally in any position in which these parts are left. The extent of upward and downward movement of the slide 94 and the shield 90 is limited by a pin 100 extending through the wall 66 and riding in a vertical slot 102 in the slide 94. 'The pin 1% may conveniently be held in place by a cotter pin 104 which permits ready removal of the pin' 1% and of the slide 94 with the shield 96 for cleaning or replacement.

In using the apparatus hereinbefore described a form 24 is mounted in place on the transverse member 22 of the fixed frame and the levers 50 and 62 are operated to move the spray boxes 42, 44, 46 and 48 against the form so that the end walls 66 engage the opposite faces of the form 24, the boxes being suitably arranged to locate the openings 80 at the proper places for the application of coagulant spray to the surfaces of the form 24. The spray devices 64 are then operated to project spray against the surfaces of the forms which are exposed through the openings 80, these openings being unobstructed at this time. The slides 94 are then pushed down so as to locate the shields 90 in the position shown in FIGURE 2. The spray devices are then operated again for a predetermined time interval. The spray boxes are retracted and the form is removed to the dipping tank where a film of latex is deposited upon its surfaces. Owing to the presence of coagulant on the areas 85, the thickness of the coating of latex deposited upon the form is greater on these areas than on the remainder of the surface of the form and gradually diminishes at the margins thereof. Since less coagulant has been applied to the areas 88, the thickness of the coat 88a deposited upon the areas 88 is less than the thickness-of the coat 86a deposited upon the area 85, this resulting in the formation of a shallow recess or cavity in the surface of the coating having substantially the same size and shape as the oval shield 90. This cavity provides a visual guide for the application of a stiff reinforcing element 110 which is of the same size and shape as the shield 99. These elements may be made of any suitable material such as stainless steel, synthetic resin, or any suitable material which is mechanically stronger than the deposited latex, and may be readily applied byhand to fit into the cavities defining the areas 88. A subsequent dipping operation covers the reinforcing elements 110 so that they are then submerged in the deposited latex of the girdle as indicated in FIGURE 9. After the girdle has been stripped from the form 24, a slot 112 is then preferably cut or punched through the narrow area surrounded by each reinforcing element 116. This facilitates the threading of garter straps through the reinforced areas of the girdle.

By way of example, a 25% solution of calcium nitrate may be used as the coagulant material for the spray. For using the apparatus shown on the drawings, the first spray which is directed against the unobstructed openings 80 may be of a duration'of three seconds. After the oval shield has been moved into place, a second spray can be directed against the openings for a period of two seconds,

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying coagulant in varying degree: of thickness to limited surface areas of a form compris ing a generally tubular housing, a mask mounted acros: one end of said housing, said mask having an opening formed therethrough, first shield means positioned ad jacent the inner face of the mask for screening margins o: the opening in said mask, second shield means positionec adjacent the opening in said mask for selective move ment into and out of the opening to shield a limited arez of the form exposed through said opening, a gaske mounted on the outer face of said mask and surrounding the opening therein, said gasket having an outwardly ex tending rib spaced from the edges thereof for spacing the mask a predetermined distance from the form and fo. forming a seal around the area of the form to be sprayed and means positioned adjacent the other end of said hous ing for spraying a coagulant through the opening in sai mask onto the form.

2. Apparatus for applying coagulant in varying de grees of thickness to limited surface areas of a forn comprising, a frame, means for supporting a form on sai frame, a carriage mounted on said frame for movemen to and from said form supporting means, a generall tubular housing mounted on said carriage, a mask posi tion'ed across one end of said housing for movement int( and out. of contact with a form in said supporting means said mask having an opening formed therethrough, firs shield means positioned adjacent the inner face of sair mask for screening margins of the opening in said mask second shield means positioned adjacent the opening it said mask for selective movement into and out of 83.1( opening to shield a limited area of the form exposer through said opening, a gasket mounted on the outer fac of said mask and surrounding the opening therein, sair gasket having an outwardly extending rib spaced fron the edges thereof for spacing the mask a predetermine distance from the form and for forming a seal around '[ht area of .the form to be sprayed, and means positione adjacent the other end of said housing for spraying z coagulant through the opening in said mask onto tilt form.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,035,677 3/1936 Steinke 118--301 2,121,721 6/1938 Welker 1858.t 2,421,343 5/1957 Mageoch 118--30l 2,806,257 9/1957 Rosenberg l8-58.4 2,915,039 12/1959 Wardley 118-301 2,928,369 3/1960 Way et al. 11830I MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM STEPHENSON, RICHARD D. NEVI'US CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiners.

M. R. STERN, R. E. HOWARD, Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COAGULANT IN VARYING DEGREES OF THICKNESS TO LIMITED SURFACE AREAS OF A FORM COMPRISING A GENERALLY TUBULAR HOUSING, A MASK MOUNTED ACROSS ONE END OF SAID HOUSING, SAID MASK HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THERETHROUGH, FIRST SHIELD MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE INNER FACE OF THE MASK FOR SCREENING MARGINS OF THE OPENING IN SAID MASK, SECOND SHIELD MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE OPENING IN SAID MASK FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF THE OPENING TO SHIELD A LIMITED AREA OF THE FORM EXPOSED THROUGH SAID OPENING, A GASKET MOUNTED ON THE OUTER FACE OF SAID MASK AND SURROUNDING THE OPENING THEREIN, SAID GASKET HAVING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING RIB SPACED FROM THE EDGES THEREOF FOR SPACING THE MASK A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE FORM AND FOR FORMING A SEAL AROUND THE AREA OF THE FORM TO BE SPRAYED, AND MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF SAID HOUSING FOR SPRAYING A COAGULANT THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID MASK ONTO THE FORM. 